EU, US report progress on trade talks despite new metals tariffs

The United States and European Union said trade talks advanced quickly and in the right direction on Wednesday, top negotiators said, despite a stumbling block posed by new US metals tariffs.

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President Donald Trump's doubling of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports kicked in on Wednesday, the same day his administration sought “best offers” from trading partners to avoid other punishing import levies from taking effect in July.

The 27-nation EU's trade negotiator, Maros Sefcovic, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said their meeting in Paris was constructive.

"We both concluded that we are advancing in the right direction, at pace,” Sefcovic told reporters. Technical talks are ongoing in Washington, he said, and high-level contacts will follow.

“What makes me optimistic is I see the progress ... the discussions are now very concrete,” Sefcovic said, adding that he and Greer had agreed to restructure the focus of their talks.

Greer said the talks were advancing quickly and demonstrated “a willingness by the EU to work with us to find a concrete way forward to achieve reciprocal trade.” Trump has made charging US importers tariffs on goods from foreign countries the central policy of his ongoing trade wars, which have severely disrupted global trade flows and roiled financial markets.